Effect of implementing safety-engineered devices on percutaneous injury epidemiology Journal Article
| Authors: | Sohn, S.; Eagan, J.; Sepkowitz, K. A.; Zuccotti, G. |
| Article Title: | Effect of implementing safety-engineered devices on percutaneous injury epidemiology |
| Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of implementing safety-engineered devices on percutaneous injury epidemiology, specifically on percutaneous injuries associated with a higher risk of blood-borne pathogen exposure. DESIGN: Before-and-after intervention trial comparing 3-year preintervention (1998-2000) and 1-year postintervention (2001-2002) periods. Percutaneous injury data have been entered prospectively into CDC NaSH software since 1998. SETTING: A 427-bed, tertiary-care hospital in Manhattan. PARTICIPANTS: All employees who reported percutaneous injuries during the study period. INTERVENTION: A "safer-needle system," composed of a variety of safety-engineered devices to allow for needle-safe IV delivery, blood collection, IV insertion, and intramuscular and subcutaneous injection, was implemented in February 2001. RESULTS: The mean annual incidence of percutaneous injuries decreased from 34.08 per 1,000 full-time-equivalent employees preintervention to 14.25 postintervention (P < .001). Reductions in the average monthly number of percutaneous injuries resulting from both low-risk (P < .01) and high-risk (P was not significant) activities were observed. Nurses experienced the greatest decrease (74.5%, P < .001), followed by ancillary staff (61.5%, P = .03). Significant rate reductions were observed for the following activities: manipulating patients or sharps (83.5%, P < .001), collisions or contact with sharps (73.0%, P = .01), disposal-related injuries (21.41%, P = .001), and catheter insertions (88.2%, P < .001). Injury rates involving hollow-bore needles also decreased (70.6%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of safety-engineered devices reduced percutaneous injury rates across occupations, activities, times of injury, and devices. Moreover, intervention impact was observed when stratified by risk for blood-borne pathogen transmission. |
| Keywords: | major clinical study; pathogenesis; infection; incidence; risk assessment; blood; injection; blood sampling; device; catheterization; health care personnel; outcome and process assessment (health care); new york city; equipment design; bloodborne bacterium; infection control; needle; occupational diseases; injury; needles; disease transmission; engineering; occupational exposure; nurse; safety management; occupational safety; waste disposal; needlestick injuries; humans; human; article; percutaneous injury |
| Journal Title: | Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology |
| Volume: | 25 |
| Issue: | 7 |
| ISSN: | 0899-823X |
| Publisher: | The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America |
| Date Published: | 2004-07-01 |
| Start Page: | 536 |
| End Page: | 542 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1086/502436 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PUBMED: | 15301024 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. -- Cited By (since 1996):55 -- Export Date: 16 June 2014 -- CODEN: ICEPE -- Source: Scopus |
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